A Detroit priest known for his exorcism work was arrested after allegedly putting a teenage girl’s hair in his mouth and pretending to floss with it in front of her classmates.
Father Carlos Martins, 50, who co-hosts The Exorcist Files podcast and leads religious relic tours, was charged with misdemeanor battery following the bizarre incident at a church in Joliet, Illinois, on Nov. 21, 2024.
Police said the girl had been standing in line to view a relic of St. Jude the Apostle when Martins approached, commented on her hair, and then grabbed a section of it before making a flossing motion with it in his mouth, according to Stella Maris Media. The girl later told authorities that he also sat behind her and made a growling noise.
Martins was arrested Monday.
His attorney Marcella Burke denied the allegations, calling them “egregious and unfounded.” She said Martins never flossed with the student’s hair or growled at her and described the charges as “a takedown of a good priest and an attempted shakedown of the Church.”
According to Burke, Martins was engaged in lighthearted banter during a presentation to about 200 students. As an icebreaker, he joked about his baldness and made a comment comparing his hairstyle to the girl’s, Burke said.
“We are confident in the legal process and look forward to our client being fully exonerated,” Burke said. “We will continue to vigorously defend his rights and reputation.”
The incident made international news, with a story about it written by the Daily Mail.
But the girl’s father was disturbed by her account and called the police, prompting the cancellation of all remaining relic tour stops in the area.
Martins’s religious order, the Companions of the Cross, initially suspended him while investigating the allegations. But the order later released a statement, saying he’s entitled to due process.
“The Companions of the Cross look upon allegations of misconduct as an urgent matter that requires serious attention,” the statement reads. “We pray for all those who are affected by this painful situation.”
Martins was overseeing the “Apostle of the Impossible” tour, which featured what is believed to be a bone fragment from St. Jude’s arm displayed in a reliquary at churches and schools nationwide.
Originally from Ontario, Canada, Martins was once an atheist before converting to Catholicism. Now based in Detroit, he has built a reputation as a church-appointed custodian of relics and a prominent figure in the exorcism community. His podcast, The Exorcist Files, is cost-hosted by Ryan Bethea and shares firsthand accounts from his experience as an exorcist.
